When do you worry about a heating element being dangerous in a process. I guess as long as it's under the liquid level. If a element shorts out or sparks then what happens. Any experience of this happening. Thanks

Make sure the element is covered before energizing it. If you want to do a search, you can find a lot of highly emotional discussions on this topic, and in those discussions are dozens of ways to make sure you never turn on the power when it's uncovered.

I fully expect your thread to draw the highly emotional voices that want to sensationalize and disrupt rather than be supportive.

David, the element does not need to short out or spark. All that is required for a bang is to turn the element on when it is not covered and it will soon reach the self ignition point of methanol and BANG. It probably will not even break the heating element.For some strange reason people seem to do it all the time.

The following occurrences have all been reported as a result of this BANG.1. Soiled underwear2. Flames and smoke shooting out of the vent or other openings3. The remaining contents of the reactor shooting out and covering the room and people in it.4. Shrapnel flying about the room

The best way of preventing this from occurring is to heat your oil in something that will never contain methanol.

I hope you did not find this information too sensationalized or disruptive.

David Fryman,by under liquid level?? this is a little vague..statically under the liquid level or inline with liquid flowing passed?while this might seem to be the same they are not!this is personal experience here!!I have never seen an element 'short', actually they open not short( its not physically possible for them to short). what ever you call it..an arc is created..( could be cause for concern )

under static WVO..no issues..NONE!!!mixed with methanol..depends

inline flowing..DEPENDS..yes i have seen a BANG caused by an element opening while in operation with methanol/oil/KOH flowing passed..YES IT WENT BANG!! this is FACT not opinion. I WAS THERE!!what I think actually happened was..the element opened and a 'hot' chunk of element flowed into the air space above the liquid level( this is normal for inline heaters)..well it was hot enough to ignite the air space. BANG!!! well thankfully I didn't seal the lid on tight..otherwise I might not be posting this..no it wasn't my setup..it was another where others insisted on running the heating on 240 instead of 120..anyway..no mess..no fire..no injury..

So I think from what I've heard it's not why, but when. If it can, it eventually will. I need to put a water/ steam exchanger in asap. I don't gamble. Submersed or not it still is electricity that can make or break contact creating a spark. Either way not a good situation

Actually I just thought of something. The safest way is to preheat just wvo first to the highest temp you will be using. Then turn off heater. Inject methanol and let the heat coast. I know the methanol might cool it so a little higher on heat. Oil will hold it's temp for a long time at least through the trans part. Acid may take longer and the heater may have to be cycled a few times.